Safety Observations
Safety Observations
A safety observation is a workplace note about a safety-related deficiency or a good practice. Why is it important to record even the smallest observations, and how does systematic use of safety observations improve occupational safety?
What Are Safety Observations?
Safety observations are workplace findings related to safety—these can be hazards, “near-miss” incidents, deficiencies in safety arrangements, or even good practices that deserve recognition.
Examples include:
An electrical cable lying on the floor that could cause a trip.
A poorly secured scaffold.
A chemical drum without proper labeling.
A new method to improve ergonomics invented by an employee.
The essential point is that the person making the observation reports it through the organization’s agreed method so the situation can be addressed before harm occurs.
Safety observations are often categorized as:
Negative observations: deficiencies, risks, hazardous situations.
Positive observations: good safety actions or practices that go beyond the baseline.
For example, an employee who regularly tidies their workstation and removes slip hazards deserves a positive observation. Positive observations help ensure safety culture isn’t only about “hunting mistakes” but also about recognizing good practices.
Why Submit Safety Observations?
Every safety observation is a chance to prevent an accident in advance. Heinrich’s triangle (the accident ratio) suggests that for each serious accident, there are dozens of minor accidents and hundreds of near misses. Small deviations or errors, if left uncorrected, can lead to serious accidents over time.
Making safety observations is also a legal duty:
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), Section 19, employees must immediately notify their supervisor (and, if necessary, other employer representatives) of any defect or deficiency that may cause danger or harm.
Even if the issue is already fixed, the report must still be made so management and safety personnel can verify and learn from the case.
Benefits in Brief
Prevention: Risks are addressed early, reducing accident likelihood.
Improving safety culture: Employees see their reports lead to action, reinforcing a shared commitment to safety.
Legal and ethical responsibility: Recording observations demonstrates serious commitment to safety and supports compliance.
Learning and continuous improvement: Data from observations highlights trends, enabling targeted training and safety improvements.
How Are Safety Observations Processed Effectively?
Merely making observations isn’t enough—effective processing is key. A typical process includes:
Reporting the observation
Employees submit reports immediately.
Methods: paper forms, verbal reports, or increasingly digital/mobile apps.
Receipt and logging
Safety representatives/managers receive and log the report.
Observations are classified by severity and type.
Corrective actions
Immediate hazards are addressed right away.
Longer-term fixes are planned (e.g., adding guardrails).
Less severe issues are still recorded, assigned to a responsible person, and given a deadline.
Follow-up
Systems send reminders and escalate to management if corrective actions are delayed or ignored.
Feedback to the reporter
Reporters are thanked and informed of actions taken.
Positive observations should be rewarded or recognized (e.g., on the intranet) to encourage further reporting.
Modern HSEQ systems make this workflow smooth with mobile reporting, photos, automatic notifications, and clear status tracking.
A Digital Tool for Collecting Observations
Observation culture strengthens when employees have easy tools for reporting. If reporting can be done instantly via a phone app, the barrier to submit lowers significantly.
It’s often said:
“Double the number of safety observations, and you halve the number of accidents.”
Advantages of a Safety Observation App/System
Easy use in the field: Report directly from the worksite.
Photos and location data: Helps others assess severity.
Real-time information: Immediate alerts to responsible staff.
Statistics and reports: Trend data helps target improvements.
Integration into operations: Observations connect to continuous improvement processes (e.g., triggering risk assessments or updates to instructions).
Summary: Small Observations—Big Impact
Safety observations are one of the most effective ways to continuously improve workplace safety. When employees actively report risks and good practices, organizations gain valuable knowledge to prevent accidents.
A culture of shared safety responsibility is built on openness and initiative.
Management’s role: Make reporting easy, respond constructively to every report, and set the tone.
Tools available: For example, Gate Apps’ HSEQ app makes field reporting quick and engaging, with clear management reports.
Has your workplace already unlocked the full potential of safety observations?
If not, the easiest way is to adopt a digital system that captures and tracks all observations. Book a demo of Gate Apps’ solution and see how it could streamline safety observation management in your organization.
